Ezili Dantor

Ezili Dantor is Ezili Freda’s hardworking black sister. She is independent and beholden to no one. Ezili Dantor is sick of crying. She’s had enough tears. She’s a spirit of rage and initiative instead. Ezili Dantor is honoured as the spirit who initiated the Haitian Revolution. She fought in the Revolution alongside men. Her lover and partner was Ogoun. When the revolution ended, he cut out her tongue so she couldn’t reveal secrets. In addition to Ogoun, her consorts include Ti Jean Petro and/or Simbi Makaya. Some say she only has sex with male spirits so as to have the children she adores. She really prefers sex with women.

Ezili Dantor lives and breathes for her daughter, Anaïs. Some consider Anaïs her only child, but she may have others, too, including a son, Jan Dantor. Some say she has seven children and place seven dolls on her altar to represent them. An image of another daughter, Manbo Zila, as created by Haitian artist Pierrot Barra, is included in Donald Cosentino’s book, Vodou Things. Ezili Dantor serves as inspiration for artist Betye Saar’s 1996 mixed media assemblage, “Midnight Madonnas.”

Ezili is a guardian of women, especially single mothers.

• Ask her to help you collect your child support.

• Ask her to help you become so financially self-sufficient that you don’t need anyone else’s money.

• Ask her for help if you are trapped in an abusive relationship